Volume I Part 9 (1/2)

The important practical use which Franklinof houses fro, has been already mentioned

Pointed conductors are now very common in Aeneral introduction into Europe, notwithstanding the iven But ht to lay aside established practices, or to adopt new ones And perhaps we have more reason to be surprised that a practice, however rational, which was proposed about forty years ago, should in that time have been adopted in so many places, than that it has not universally prevailed It is only by degrees that the great body of mankind can be led into new practices, however salutary their tendency It is now nearly eighty years since inoculation was introduced into Europe and Aeneral at present, that it will require one or two centuries to render it so

The disputes between the proprietaries and the people of the province continued in full force, although a as raging on the frontiers Not even the sense of danger was sufficient to reconcile, for ever so short a ti interests The asse the proprietary estates; but the governors constantly refused their assent to this ed at the obstinacy, and what they conceived to be the unjust proceedings of their opponents, the asseth determined to apply to the mother country for relief A petition was addressed to the king in council, stating the inconveniences under which the inhabitants laboured, from the attention of the proprietaries to their private interest, to the neglect of the general welfare of the co for redress Franklin was appointed to present this address, as agent for the province of Pennsylvania, and departed from America in June, 1757 In conforislature, he held a conference with the proprietaries who then resided in England, and endeavoured to prevail upon the that they would hearken to no terms of acco this ti a tax, in which no discrimination was made in favour of the estates of the Penn faence and Franklin's exertions, used their utiven to this lahich they represented as highly iniquitous, designed to throw the burden of supporting government upon them, and calculated to produce the most ruinous consequences to them and their posterity The cause was amply discussed before the privy council The Penns found here so some armly espoused the side of the people After some time spent in debate, a proposal was e that the assessment of the tax should be so made as that the proprietary estates should pay no reed to perform, the Penn family withdrew their opposition, and tranquillity was thus once more restored to the province

Theproof of the high opinion entertained of Franklin's integrity and honour, even by those who considered him as inimical to their views Nor was their confidence ill-founded The assessment was made upon the strictest principle of equity; and the proprietary estates bore only a proportionable share of the expenses of supporting government

After the completion of this important business, Franklin reent for the province of Pennsylvania

The extensive knowledge which he possessed of the situation of the colonies, and the regard which he always manifested for their interests, occasioned his appointment to the same office by the colonies of Massachusetts, Maryland, and Georgia His conduct, in this situation, was such as rendered him still more dear to his country in the society of those friends whoard which they had entertained for him was rather increased by a personal acquaintance The opposition which had been radually ceased, and the rewards of literary merit were abundantly conferred upon him The Royal Society of London, which had at first refused his perforht it an honour to rank hi its fellows Other societies of Europe were equally a him a member The University of St Andrew, in Scotland, conferred upon hiree of Doctor of Laws Its exah and Oxford His correspondence was sought for by the most eminent philosophers of Europe His letters to these abound with true science, delivered in the most simple, unadorned manner

The province of Canada was at this tiinally settled it The trade with the Indians, for which its situation was very convenient, was exceedingly lucrative The French traders here found a e quantities of rich furs, which they disposed of at a high price in Europe While the possession of this country was highly advantageous to France, it was a grievous inconvenience to the inhabitants of the British colonies The Indians were alenerally desirous to cultivate the friendshi+p of the French, by whom they were abundantly supplied with arms and ammunition Whenever a war happened, the Indians were ready to fall upon the frontiers; and this they frequently did, even when Great Britain and France were at peace From these considerations, it appeared to be the interest of Great Britain to gain the possession of Canada But the importance of such an acquisition was not well understood in England Franklin about this time published his Canada pamphlet, in which he, in a very forcible es which would result froainst it was planned, and the coiven to General Wolfe His success is well known At the treaty in 1762, France ceded Canada to Great Britain; and by her cession of Louisiana, at the same time, relinquished all her possessions on the continent of Ah Dr Franklin was now principally occupied with political pursuits, he found time for philosophical studies He extended his electrical researches, and made a variety of experiular properties which this stone possesses, of being electrified on one side positively, and on the other negatively, by heat alone, without friction, had been but lately observed

Some experiments on the cold produced by evaporation, made by Dr

Cullen, had been coow These he repeated, and found that, by the evaporation of ether in the exhausted receiver of an airpuree of cold was produced in a summer's day, that water was converted into ice This discovery he applied to the solution of a nule fact, which philosophers had endeavoured in vain to account for, viz, that the temperature of the hurees of Fahrenheit's therh the atreater degree This he attributed to the increased perspiration and consequent evaporation produced by the heat

In a letter to Mr Small, of London, dated in May, 1760, Dr Franklinto show that, in North Ain in the southwest parts It appears, from actual observations, that a northeast storm, which extended a considerable distance, commenced at Philadelphia nearly four hours before it was felt at Boston He endeavoured to account for this by supposing that, from heat, some rarefication takes place about the Gulf of Mexico; that the air farther north, being cooler, rushes in, and is succeeded by the cooler and denser air still farther north, and that thus a continued current is at length produced

The tone produced by rubbing the brienerally known A Mr Puckeridge, an Irishlasses of different sizes, and tuning the them ater, endeavoured to for tunes He was prevented, by an untiree of perfection After his death some improvements were made upon his plan The sweetness of the tones induced Dr Franklin to th forant instrument which he has called the _Armonica_

In the sue he observed the singular effect produced by the agitation of a vessel containing oil floating on water The surface of the oil reitated with the utmost commotion No satisfactory explanation of this appearance has, we believe, ever been given

Dr Franklin received the thanks of the assee of his duty to that province in particular, as for thehis residence in Great Britain” A compensation of 5000_l_, Pennsylvania currency, was also decreed hi his absence he had been annually elected member of the asseain took his seat in this body, and continued a steady defender of the liberties of the people

In Decereat alarm in the province took place A number of Indians had resided in the county of Lancaster, and conducted themselves uniformly as friends to the white inhabitants Repeated depredations on the frontiers had exasperated the inhabitants to such a degree, that they detere upon every Indian A number of persons, to the aal and Peckstang, or Paxton, townshi+ps, in the county of York, assembled, and, mounted on horseback, proceeded to the settlement of these harmless and defenceless Indians, whose number had now been reduced to about twenty The Indians received intelligence of the attack which was intended against the the white people as their friends, they apprehended no danger from them When the party arrived at the Indian settlement, they found only so absent at work Theyothers the chief Shaheas, who had been always distinguished for his friendshi+p to the whites This bloody deed excited nation in the well-disposed part of the community

The remainder of these unfortunate Indians, who, by absence, had escaped the ed in the jail as a place of security The governor issued a proclaest disapprobation of the action, offering a reward for the discovery of the perpetrators of the deed, and prohibiting all injuries to the peaceable Indians in future But, notwithstanding this, a party of the same men shortly after marched to Lancaster, broke open the jail, and inhumanly butchered the innocent Indians who had been placed there for security Another proclamation was issued, but it had no effect A detachment marched down to Philadelphia for the express purpose ofsome friendly Indians, who had been removed to the city for safety A number of the citizens armed in their defence The Quakers, whose principles are opposed to fighting, even in their own defence, were most active upon this occasion The rioters caovernor fled for safety to the house of Dr Franklin, ith some others, advanced to meet the Paxton boys, as they were called, and had influence enough to prevail upon the and return to their homes

The disputes between the proprietaries and the asseain revived The proprietaries were dissatisfied with the concessions les to recover the privilege of exe their estates froive up

In 1763 the asseovernor refused to give his assent, unless the asseree to certain a the fines, and, in so death for fines He wished, too, that the officers should be appointed altogether by himself, and not be nominated by the people, as the bill had proposed These amendments the assembly considered as inconsistent with the spirit of liberty They would not adopt theovernor was obstinate, and the bill was lost

These, and various other circumstances, increased the uneasiness which subsisted between the proprietaries and the asse was agreed to by the house, praying an alteration froovernment

Great opposition was made to this measure, not only in the house, but in the public prints A speech of Mr dickenson on the subject was published, with a preface by Dr Sreat pains were taken to show the i A speech of Mr

Golloway, in reply to Mr dickenson, was published, accompanied with a preface by Dr Franklin, in which he ably opposed the principles laid down in the preface to Mr dickenson's speech This application to the throne produced no effect The proprietary government was still continued

At the election for a new assembly, in the fall of 1764, the friends of the proprietaries reat exertions to exclude those of the adverse party; and they obtained a small majority in the city of Philadelphia

Franklin now lost his seat in the house, which he had held for fourteen years On theof the assembly it appeared that there was still a decided majority of Franklin's friends He was irin of his eneainst this appoint unprecedented It was, however, published in the papers, and produced a spirited reply froland

The disturbances produced in America by Mr Grenville's stamp-act, and the opposition ham's administration, it appeared expedient to endeavour to calm the minds of the colonists, and the repeal of the odious tax was conte information on the disposition of the people to submit to it, Dr Franklin was called to the bar of the House of Commons The examination which he here underas published, and contains a striking proof of the extent and accuracy of his information, and the facility hich he co a point of view, that the expediency of the act must have appeared clear to every unprejudiced mind The act, after some opposition, was repealed, about a year after it was enacted, and before it had ever been carried into execution

In the year 1766, he reatest e through Holland, he learned from the watermen the effect which a diminution of the quantity of water in canals has in iland, he was led to make a number of experiments, all of which tended to confirm the observation

These, with an explanation of the phenomenon, he cole, which is a year he travelled into France, where he met with a no less favourable reception than he had experienced in Germany He was introduced to a nu, Louis XV